This invention relates in general to roller chain construction and in particular to a new and useful roller chain for power transmission with the link pins provided with rod-like extension for tight fastening of the link pin plates during assembly.
Conventionally, links of a roller chain are assembled such that pin link plates are loose-fitted to link pins and, as such, clips or split pins are used to prevent pin link plates from dropping off. It is known, however, that pin link plates thus located have a fatigue strength 30% lower than the other press-fitted portions of the links and are necessarily unable to withstand loads which are within the permissible limits for the press-fitted portions but exceed that for the loose-fitted pin link plates, thus reducing the life expectancy of the roller chain.
As is conventionally practiced in order to overcome such drawbacks, pin link plates may be press-fitted to link pins with expensive special tools that have to be purchased for infrequent use, or alternatively, may have been press-fitted in the factory in an endless form of a given size. These efforts, however, have all proved costly and time consuming.